Friday, December 6, 2013

I have heard great things about Hemingway's, the beautiful fine dining restaurant at the Hyatt Grand Cypress in Orlando, Fla., from friends and family for years. I finally had an opportunity to dine there recently with my husband, to try the special "Taste of Hemingway's" menu the eatery is offering through the end of December.This restaurant a must-do for couples and families for the holiday season! Before dinner, you can get your photo taken by the gorgeous Christmas tree in the resort's lobby. After dinner, you can walk off the meal with a stroll around the grounds, which features beautiful plants, streams, and Buddhist statues. Back to the Taste of Hemingway's: this is a fabulous, 3-course menu with choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert for the great value of $39. It is an amazing value because the food, service, and presentation is at such a high level, and is worth so much more.For apps, you can choose from the Florida Rock Shrimp Chowder, the Key Wester Salad, and the Key Lime Caesar. We had the chowder, which was very delicious (but too much corn for me). If you decide to order off the regular menu, I would suggest the scallops appetizer, which features three perfectly cooked scallops with a wonderful bacon and chimichurri accompaniment. However, I would suggest ordering the barbecue sauce on the side.

Key Lime Tart

Personally, I would rather taste the the high quality scallops themselves, than have their flavor drowned out in a sauce.Our favorite entree off the Taste of Hemingway's menu was the Hemingway's "Cayo Hueso" Crab Cakes", which contain the most delicious crab of any crab cake I have eaten. They are served with local sweet corn coconut grits and corn salsa. Amazing! The other entrees - Duvall Street Shrimp Scampi, Cuban Criollo Chicken, and Mahi-Mahi - also looked delicious. We ordered the fresh fish, Florida grouper, off the regular menu, which was accompanied by Cape Canaveral shrimp. Both the shrimp and the fish were absolutely cooked to perfection. I loved the crispy sear on the grouper, and the fennel accent paired very well with the flavor of the fish.For dessert, you can choose from the Key Lime Tart or the Chocolate Banana Fallen Tower. Both are to die for. I loved the Key Lime Tart, because it is difficult to get that tart Key Lime flavor at many restaurants. The house-made graham cracker crust was also delicious, and the baked meringue on top was an interesting twist.For reservations, visit: http://grandcypress.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/Hemingways.html or call 407-239-3854.

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